Connector for electrical conductors.



E. B. FAHNESTOCK.

CONNECTOR FOR ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 22. 1914.

1,219,632. Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

ERNEST LB. rnrrnns'rooir, or rnennor'lrn, NEW YORK.

CONNECTOR FOR ELECTRICAL GONDUCTORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

Application filed. September 22, 1914. Serial No. 862,873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERN ST B.VFAI-INE- s'rooK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Plandome, county of Nassau, Long Island, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Connectors for Electrical Conductors, of which the following is a specification, accompanied by drawings.

This invention relates to an improved form or type of connector .for electrical conductors, designed to make good contact with the conductor over a Sufficient area to be applicable to heavy currents, as Well as =toconductors carrying lesser currents.

If a lead is to be taken off a heavy current circuit for instance, the connector should be capable ofmaking a firm contact over a comparatively large area on the conductor. The usual method is to solder the wires together, but .my device is designed to enable a connection to be quickly made or altered at will, without the disadvantages of present methods.

My device will :also accommodate conductors of different :sizes equally well and firmly grips the Wire ov'er'a relatively large contact area, and :around substantially the entire periphery of the wire.

Some suitable forms of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in Which- I Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of the device, opened out for the reception of a conductor;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device in closed position holding a conductor;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a modification;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of Fig. 3 holding :a conductor;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modification' Fig. '6 is a side elevation of Fig. 5 holding a conductor;

Fig. 7 is :a perspective view of a modification; I

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of Fig. 7 holding a conductor. a

The basic principle upon which the "device operates is carried "out in all the figures. A flexible metallic band, carried by a suitable support, is adapted to be wrapped about and encircle the conductor, and means are provided for tightly drawing the band around the conductor. The tightening means are adjustable solely on the support, and not upon the conductor itseli, as in some forms of ground clamp connectors, and in my device the tightening means are adapted to 'eXert a pull on the flexible band for tightly drawing it around the conductor. The tightening means coact between the band and the support and exert a pulling force between at least one end of the band and the support.

In the forms of the device shown, the flexible metallic band is connected at one end to the support, while the other end is connected to the tightening means, which engage the vsupport after the band is wrapped about; the conductor. By leaving :one end of the flexible band free, as illustrated in some of the 'firgures, the insertion of the conductor in the device or the placing of the device over the conductor is facilitated. In all of the forms of the device illustrated, the support preferably has a certain degree of resiliency, which aids in maintaining the band tightly drawn around the conductor, and in those forms in which the support abuts directly against the conductor, means are provided for holding the conductor, to enable the band to be wrapped about the same and tightened in position. In some forms of the device means are also provided for limiting the tension which may be applied to the band.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, A represents a suitable metallic support, which may preferably be formed out of sheet metahand is cut and bent into the form shown. The metal is cut away at pne end to form the bent and curved jaws B for receiving and holding the conductor C, and preferably a strip or rib of metal 1) is formed at this portion of the device over which one end of the flexible metallic band E may be hooked or bent and soldered in position, so that one end of the flexible metallic band is connected to the support adja cent that portion of the device which is adapted to receive and hold the conductor.

The other end of the band E as shown is free and in the preferable construction, the band is formed of double thickness, so that the two meeting ends may be secured to the rib D and the outer free end F forms a loop through which a short rod or bar G extends, forming a means of attachment for the screw threaded bolt H having the wing nut J.

As shown in Fig. 2, the conductor C has been placed in position in the jaws B and the band I has been wrapped around the conductor and the bolt II has been placed in the slot K of the end L of the support opposite the jaws, so that by screwing up the wing nut J the band E will be tightly drawn around the conductor C and the free end of the band or else the point of contact G of the adjusting means and the flexible metallic band is capable of being drawn up past the points of contact I) of the band, support, and conducting wire. There will be a certain amount of give or resiliency in the aw member and the upright member L which aids in maintaining the band taut after it has been tightened in position. The support A may, desired, be provided with the legs 0 preferably cut out of the body of the metal and bent into the desired position, so that the body portion of the support A is maintained out of contact with any surface upon which the device may be placed. The support A. may be provided with the aperture P for the reception of a bolt Q having the nut R for fastening the device upon a supporting surface and for making contact with the other terminal of the circuit. The other terminal may also be inserted between the upright portion L of the support and the wing nut K, if desired, or otherwise connected to the support in any suitable manner.

In the modifications shown in Figs. 3 and 4:, the support S is provided with the upright member T preferably bent at an angle as shown at U and provided with the slotted extension V for the reception of the bolt H. The jaws B in this instance are provided upon a plate W suitably secured to the member T and normally separated therefrom. When the wing nut J is tightened as shown in Fig. 4 to tightly draw the band E around the conductor V, the members W and T are drawn toward each other, as indicated in Fig. 4:.

In the modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the support X, formed out of sheet metal, is shown bent upon itself substantially in U-shaped form and the jaws B are formed upon the member Y, while the slot K is formed in the member Z. The material cut out of the slot K is preferably bent inwardly toward the opposite member in the form of a tongue or stop a, which as shown in Fig. 6 limits the extent to which the members Y and Z may be drawn toward each other when the wing nut J is tightened to draw the band E tightly upon a conductor. In this form of the device the rib I) may as shown be in the form of a hook over which the end of the band E is bent and soldered in position.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 7 and 8 the support 0 formed of sheet metal is. bent into substantially U-shaped form and provided with the members (Z and 6. The material forming the jaws is pret erably bent lmckwardly upon itself at g and then upwardly to form stops it. The outer end of the member 0 is bent as shown at j at an angle, and then again bent at and the ends 0 are turned inwardly at each side of the slot 79. When the band E is tightened around the conductor C as shown in Fig. 8, the members 0 abut against the stops 7?, and limit the extent of movement of the parts and the tension which may be applied to the band.

I claim and desire to obtain by Letters Patent the following:

1. A connector for electrical conductors, comprising a support adapted to abut a con ducting wire at approximately right angles to the longitudinal axis ofsaid wire, a flexible metallic band looped over the conducting wire and lying on the support, with the ends of said band extending toward the rear end of the support, one end of said band being secured in contact with the support and an adjusting means connecting the other end of the band with the support, whereby the slack in the band may be taken up and the conducting wire abutted by the support firmly held.

2. A connector for electrical conductors, comprising a support having holding jaws, adapted to abut a conducting wire at approximately right angles to the longitudinal axis of said wire, a flexible metallic band looped over the conducting wire and lying on the support, with the ends of said band extending toward the rear end of the support, one end of said band being secured in contact with the support and an adjusting means connecting the other end of the band with the support, whereby the slack in the band may be taken up and the conducting wire abutted by the support firmly held.

3. A connector for electrical conductors, comprising a' support adapted to abut a conducting wire, a flexible metallic band folded upon itself and bothlayers looped over the conducting wire and lying on the support, with the ends of said double band extending toward the rear end of the support, one end of said double band being secured in contact with the support, and an adjusting means connecting the other end of the band with the support, whereby the slack in the band may be taken up and the conducting wire abutted by the support firmly held.

4. A connector for electrical conductors, comprising a support having a body member and an opposing spring member, holding jaws on one of said members adapted to abut a conducting wire; a flexible metallic band in contact with said support at a point adjacent to the point at which said jaws abut the conducting wire, said flexible metallic band having a free end adapted to be looped around the conducting wire, and adjusting means operatively connecting said flexible metallic band and the opposing member of the support, whereby the slack in the band may be taken up.

5. A connector for electrical conductors, comprising a support having a body member and an opposing spring member, holding jaws on one of said members adapted to abut a conducting wire, a flexible metallic band in contact with said support at a point adjacent to the point at which said jaws abut the conducting wire, said flexible metallic band having a free end adapted to be looped around the conducting wire, and adjusting means operatively connecting said flexible metallic band and the opposing member of the support, whereby the slack in the band may be taken up, and means for limiting the movement of the said spring member as the band is tightened by the adjusting means.

6. A connector for electrical conductors, comprising a supportadapted to abut a conducting wire, a flexible metallic band in con tact with said support at a point adjacent to the point at which said support abuts the conducting wlre, said flexible metallic band having afree end adapted to be looped around the conducting wire, adjusting means operatively connecting said flexible metallic band and the support, whereby after the free end of said flexible metallic band has been looped around the conducting wire, the point of contact of the adjusting means and the flexible metallic band may be drawn up past the points of contact of the band, support and conducting wire, in such a manner that the slack in the band is taken up and the conducting wire firmly gripped, and means for connecting a second conducting wire to said support.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribin'g witnesses.

ERNEST B. FAHNESTOCK.

Witnesses:

JOHN Sol-r01), Jr., S. E. FAUGETT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

